SOUTH BEND, Ind.— Seventh-ranked Notre Dame kept its unbeaten record intact, defeating No. 17 Stanford 20-13 in overtime. Here’s what we learned from the outcome.

Questionable calls

Stanford coach David Shaw, during his postgame interview, refused to comment on a few questionable calls. But he’s sure to approach some calls, at least anecdotally, if he speaks to the Pac-12 this week.

First, the call everyone will talk about for weeks to come:

On fourth-and-goal from the Notre Dame 1 yard line and the last play of the game, Stanford tailback Stepfan Taylor was stopped to end the game. After a review of the play, it was determined that Taylor didn’t make it into the end zone—even though it appeared a second effort got the ball over the goal line. It also appeared that Taylor’s elbow may have touched the ground before the ball crossed the goal line.

“I thought he got in on the play before that,” said Stanford quarterback Josh Nunes.

Shaw, for his part, had this to say about the last play: “No comment.”

Said Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o: “I didn’t think he got in. They know what they’re going to do there, and they know that we know what they were going to do there. It was a matter of us making a play.”

That controversial ending wasn’t the only issue Shaw had with officials—and wasn’t the only strange call.

There were blown penalty calls on both sides, and the officials actually spotted the ball wrong on the changeover from the third to fourth quarter.

Stanford had third-and-9 from the ND 48, and after the changeover, had third-and-8 from the Stanford 48.

When asked if he said something to the officials, Shaw said, “Yes, I did. But I can’t make them; I mean, they put the ball on the wrong hash, too. There’s nothing else I can do about it. I’m not going to comment on the officials.”

After his media session was over, Shaw said—without provocation—that a key play in the fourth quarter was caused by a whistle from the stands that contributed to his team’s loss of seven yards on third-and-short inside the Notre Dame 15. Stanford lost seven yards on the running play and had to settle for a field goal.

The Michigan coaching staff also complained earlier this year about a whistle in the stands at Notre Dame Stadium.

“They heard a whistle,” Shaw said. “Heard a whistle, stopped playing. I don’t know what the rule is on that. I’ll double-check with the head official and make sure that whatever we can do gets done in that situation. That one hurt.”

Said Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly: “I didn’t hear a whistle.”

The Closer

Notre Dame still is unbeaten. And Tommy Rees still is unbeaten in relief. The one-time starting quarterback turned closer at Notre Dame did it again against Stanford. After starter Everett Golson left the game on the last drive of regulation following a hit in the head, Rees led the Irish on a game-tying field goal drive—then threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Jones in overtime. The Irish defense stopped Stanford on four downs from the Notre Dame four to seal the victory.

“You just have to mentally prepare yourself to go in there and help,” said Rees, who completed 4-of-4 passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. “It’s not exactly easy, but it’s a role I’ve taken on.”

It’s also the second time this season Rees has led a game-winning scoring drive. He did it last month in a 20-17 victory over Purdue. Golson was dinged in that game, too.

And for those who think Golson, who struggled against Stanford (12-of-24, 141 yards, 1 TD, 1 fumble in the end zone that led to Stanford’s only touchdown) should be replaced, we give you this from Kelly:

“Obviously he’s learning,” Kelly said. “I was really proud of him today. He grew up. I know it wasn’t as clean—and the numbers, you can analyze them and say, well, he didn’t play well. All I can tell you is that in his growth, he did some things for me as the head coach that allow us to keep progressing with Everett.”

Stay the course

The first BCS poll comes out Sunday, and Notre Dame hasn't been ranked as high as No. 3 since the first two polls of 2002. The Irish could be ranked as high as the top three.

What does that mean for this team?

“It’s means we’re looking to try to get to 7-0,” said ND defensive tackle Louis Nix.

The computer polls love the Irish, and they are projected to be No. 2 in those polls. ND plays host to BYU next week before traveling to Norman, Okla. to play Oklahoma on Oct. 27.

Kelly has been stressing to his team to ignore the noise. He says it will be stressed again beginning next week.

“I think they feel they earned the win (vs. Stanford),” Kelly said. “They didn’t luck into it. I think if they lucked into it, you know, maybe a fumble on the goal line or something happened, maybe you could make that case.”